Matthew David Lampell

West Point, 1949

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Terry Powers on January 8, 2023:

MATTHEW D. LAMPELL 1949 Cullum No. 17036-1949 | June 26, 2019 | Died in Poughkeepsie, NY Interred in Vassar Temple Cemetery, Poughkeepsie, NY Matthew David "Matt" Lampell was born in 1924 in New York City to Samuel and Lillian Bleich Lampell. After graduating from high school in Chicago, where he was a member of the Junior ROTC Program, he attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison until he turned 18 and was drafted into the Army during World War II. He was posted to Puerto Rico, serving as a G.I. in the Signal Corps. He received an Army appointment to West Point and entered the Academy in 1945. Matt loved his time as a cadet. He was always interested in new technology and was skilled at drafting; some of his drawings were placed in the West Point archives. He excelled at saber and took joy in helping the Fencing Team beat Navy. He liked taking Army's horses out on weekends to go camping with fellow cadets and enjoyed summer trips to military posts around the country. Not above bending rules, he kept a goldfish in his room that he insisted was not a pet; he got away with that one but spent his share of time walking the Area for other infractions. As a member of the Jewish Chapel Choir, he met Vassar College student Muriel Kahn when the choir sang in Poughkeepsie, NY. They married in the Old Cadet Chapel on June 26, 1949, just after his graduation. Matt and Muriel soon moved to Stuttgart, Germany, where he was commander of the 596th Signal Battalion and then the 39th Signal Battalion. Resigning from the Army in 1953 and moving to Poughkeepsie, he served in the Army Reserve for another nine years. Even after his military career, Matt lived by the credo "Duty, Honor, Country," carrying a sense of responsibility throughout his life, instilling it in his three children, and applying his leadership skills to various enterprises and organizations. A pillar of the Poughkeepsie business community, he led the Kahn-Lampell Insurance Company from 1954 to 1985 and served as a director of Dutchess Bank & Trust Company (later part of the Bank of New York), as well as president of the Poughkeepsie Kiwanis Club, president of the Independent Insurance Agents of New York, and president and life trustee of Vassar Brothers Medical Center. An early adopter of computerized business systems, he created the firm TOPIC to develop software for the insurance industry, then served as director of industry marketing for Western Union. He was also a pillar of the Jewish community in Poughkeepsie. He served as president of Vassar Temple and was active as a board member for many years, lending his experience to the building, ritual, cemetery, and finance committees. He also served as treasurer of Poughkeepsie's Jewish Community Center. In retirement Matt volunteered with SCORE and served as head fencing coach at Vassar College for several years. He especially enjoyed leading his fencers in meets with West Point. For the last 10 years of his life, Matt dealt with the debilitating effects of Alzheimer's disease. He remained cheerful to the end and died peacefully on his 70th wedding anniversary. Predeceased by his parents and his sister, Doreen, he is survived by his loving wife, Muriel, son David Lampell (Marilyn McGaulley), daughters Karen Endicott (Kirk) and Janet Aronson, seven grandchildren, two step-grands, and many great-grandchildren. West Pont remained foremost in Matt's heart. He wore his class ring until the day he died. He would be pleased to know that it continues to be a part of the Corps.

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